Terahertz waves possess several unique characteristics which make them desirable for a variety of remote sensing applications, including explosive detection, vibrometry, concealed weapons detection, hyper-spectral imaging, and medical imaging. For example, the reflection, scattering, and absorption spectra of a sample in the terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum give an indication of the sample's composition. Detecting terahertz radiation is extremely difficult, however, which is why a need exists for improved systems for and methods of sensing terahertz radiation.